Arizona steps into it again

[Racket_Man]

The Arizona state legislators (Republican dominated as if you had to even guess) have once again chose to put up and pass a BIG hornets nest of a bill.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...iminate-n35081

Basically what the bill allows is for business owners to legally use their religious beliefs to refuse service to anyone they believe to be gay/homosexual.

[Gravekeeper]

I just saw this. What the actual shit. Arizona is like some sort of dystopian state ruled by lizard people at this point.

They also seem determined to chase every single out of state business back out of state.

[HYHYBT]

Unless I've grossly misread, that's only the beginning. It pretty much lets anyone do (or not do) anything, so long as they say it's because of religious belief.

That cannot last long.

[Andara Bledin]

It won't.

Religious beliefs only last until you start making profits as a business. Then the whole Equal Protection Clause kicks in and religious discrimination gets kicked back to the curb.

You want to discriminate on protected lines, then start a private club. Otherwise, if you're going to operate a public business, stow your bigotry or get fucked.

[HYHYBT]

The Equal Protection Clause applies only to the government. The principle is partially extended to business through anti-discrimination laws, which this new law removes at the state level.

And again, it doesn't look like it stops even there.

[catcul]

I've heard about Muslim taxi drivers in Minnesota using religious freedom to deny blind people rides because their guide dogs were considered unclean. They stopped denying rides when they were getting their licenses pulled.

If the "religious freedom" excuse didn't work for Muslims, why should it work for Christians?

[wolfie]

From what I've read, the ADA doesn't consider allergies a valid reason to deny service. I guess this means a taxi driver with a severe (as in "epi-pen NOW, hospital in under 5 minutes, in order to stay alive") allergy to dogs would have his license pulled if he refused service to someone with a service dog.

[LewisLegion]

Well, any taxi driver with a life-threatening epi-pen needed allergy to dogs (exceedingly rare, and usually the person has to be immuno-compromised as well) is probably in the wrong line of business. An allergy that severe would trigger if anyone got into his cab with dog fur on their coat or belongings, just like severe peanut allergies can be triggered even just by smelling peanuts on someone else.

If someone has a known, life-threatening allergy to dogs, requiring the use of an epi-pen and a hospital visit, driving a cab or performing any other job that requires them to be in close quarters with a lot of varied members of the public is probably not the best employment for them if they want to stay alive, service dogs aside.

[Gravekeeper]

If the "religious freedom" excuse didn't work for Muslims, why should it work for Christians?

Because America, Christian Nation, yadda yadda revisionist history. Jesus.

>.>

[bara]

I just saw this. What the actual shit. Arizona is like some sort of dystopian state ruled by lizard people at this point.

Madame Vastra disagrees with you.

[Gravekeeper]

Madame Vastra disagrees with you.

Oh no, it's the BBC's fault to begin with. Madame Vastra is just lizard people propaganda. =p

[Kheldarson]

Oh no, it's the BBC's fault to begin with. Madame Vastra is just lizard people propaganda. =p

Where's the like button?

[LewisLegion]

I just have to say, I frackin' LOVE Madame Vastra and Jenny.

That is all.

[otakuneko]

Y'know, I noticed something here.

The Republican legislators kept pointing to the case of a photographer who was sued because he wouldn't do a gay couple's wedding.

However, Arizona does not include sexuality as a protected class. Therefore, had this photog been a resident of Arizona, the lawsuit would've had no legal basis. The photog would have already had the right to refuse service.

So tell us how you really feel, Republicans. It's not really about ZOMG TEH GAYZ is it, because it's already legal to refuse service to TEH GAYZ there.

[Kristev]

Idaho, the state I'm stuck in, is also considering a law of this type.

It just makes me so sick.